1. Field of Invention
The subject invention is generally related to massage devices and is specifically directed to a hand held massage device having a plurality of spherical rollers adjustably mounted on a rod with enlarged grip handles.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Hand held massage devices in which a rolling member is applied to a part of a person's body to massage the area are well known. Some examples of these prior art devices are shown in U.S. Pat. Nos. D259,142; 2,246,263; 2,286,324; and 4,989,585. U.S. Pat. Nos. D259,142, 2,246,263 and 4,989,585 (first embodiment) all show T-shaped massage devices having a rolling member mounted on a shaft at one end of the device and a long handle portion extending perpendicularly from the shaft of the rolling member. While the long perpendicular handle allows an individual to perform a self back massage, having a handle which is not in line with the shaft axis may make it difficult to maneuver the device. For example, it may be difficult to apply even pressure over the body area covered and may not allow suitable or desired pressure to be applied to certain specific areas. Moreover, the position of the rolling member on the device is not adjustable as may be needed for massaging specific areas and the comfort of different users of the device.
U.S. Pat. Nos. 2,286,324 and 4,989,585 (second embodiment) each disclose a massage roller having rod with a rolling member in the middle and handles on the outer ends for gripping the roller. The rolling member is a pair of abutting spheres fixed in position on the rod. In U.S. Pat. No. 2,286,324, the handles of the massage roller are adjustable to selectively engage the permanently positioned rotatable spheres for causing the rotatable spheres to drag. While the handles may be moved inward along the rod to engage the spheres, the spheres are not adjustable along the rod.
Therefore, there is a need for a simple hand held massage device including massage rollers of a desired firmness which allows suitable or desired pressure to be applied to specific areas and is designed to allow the position of the rollers to be adjusted along the axis of the shaft for pinpoint massaging and comfort.